Abstract:Objectives To investigate the long-term prognostic significance of baseline plasma MMP-1 level in a group of well-characterized male patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease, including those presenting with the acute coronary syndrome. Methods Baseline plasma MMP-1 level was measured in 364 male patients who received coronary angiography and were followed up prospectively for 5 years for the development of all-cause mortality. Results After adjustment for a variety of baseline clinical, angiographic and laboratory parameters, baseline plasma MMP-1 level (analyzed as a continuous variable) was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in 5 years [HR = 1.49, (95%CI: 1.23, 1.80), P = 0.000]. Furthermore, in 3 additional multivariate models that included a wide variety of contemporary biomarkers with established prognostic significance (i.e., Stromelysin-2, GDF-15, cystatin C, hs-CRP, myeloperoxidase, TIMP-1, adiponectin, red blood cell volume distribution width, hemoglobin, and erythropoietin), MMP-1 remained an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in 5 years. Similar results were obtained when the analyses were restricted to the subpopulation of patients presenting with acute coronary syndrome. Conclusions Elevated level of MMP-1 is associated with an increased risk of long-term all-cause mortality in patients with known or suspected coronary disease that is independent of a variety of clinical, angiographic, laboratory variables, including a whole host of contemporary biomarkers with established prognostic significance representing multiple different pathophysiologic processes.